Drapery hook



Jan. 21, 1964 s. PERLMUTTER DRAPERY HOOK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 4, 1959 Jam! W WmQ/ W Jan. 21, 1964 s. PERLMUTTER DRAPERY HOOK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 4. 1959 p 2 INVgiITOIR.

United States Patent 3,1133% DRAPEi'Y HGGK Samuel Perlrnutter, Newton, l /iassg Fannie Perlmutter, executrix of said Samuel lerlmutter, deceased Filed June 4, 1959, Ser. No. 818,178 13 (Zlaims. (Cl. 24-84) The present invention relates in general to drapery hooks, and more particularly to a novel drapery hook adapted to be adjusted in size and/or remain when secured to a traverse rod slider in a substantially locked vertically oriented position. The invention herein disclosed is in part an improvement of the principles disclosed in my copending applications Serial No. 713,450 entitled Drapery Hook filed February 5, 1958, Patent No. 2,986,768 and Serial No. 788,669 entitled Drapery Hook filed January 23, 1959, Patent No. 3,021,552.

The present invention is adapted for use in connection with traverse rods having sliders formed with an opening to accommodate the drapery hook. The drapery hooks embodying the concepts of the present invention include those commonly termed sew-on hooks, non-sew hooks, pin-on hooks, slip-in hooks, and pleater hooks. In each of these hooks, a portion engages the abric of the drapery. A second portion extends away from the first portion and forms the hook element which engages the slider. As indicated in my co-pending application Serial No. 788,669, the hook element passes through an opening in the slider so that the bight of the hook element rests on the lower surface of the opening in the slider. In such prior constructions a downward force exerted by the weight of the drapery on the first portion causes a torque about an axis passing through the slider opening and generally parallel to the traverse rod, so that the drapery supported on the first portion tips forwardly causing an undesirable and unsightly crease or fold in the upper portions of the drapes.

In my copending application, means were provided in the hook element to prevent the occurrence of such an undesirable crease or fold even when relatively heavy draperies were being supported. In the arrangement provided, a crimp is formed at the top of the bight of the hook element which is adapted to engage the side portions of the slider immediately below the opening. In the present invention, further improvement of this construction is provided by locating the crimp at the end of the bight section remote from the first portion of the hook which supports the drape. It has been found that this arrangement functions more efiectively to prevent torquecaused folding of the drapes. In addition such an arrangement positions the first portion of the drapery hook forwardly of the traverse rod so that it does not bind against the traverse rod as the hook slides relative to the rod.

A further feature of the present invention provides a slip-in hook adapted to be adjusted to raise or lower the upper edge of draperies supported thereby. This adjustable hook is easy and certain of operation in use or installation.

In this arrangement two separable wire members interengage in several different positions whereby a drapery hook of selective adjustability is provided. This hook is simply formed, utilizing only two separable pieces of wire which are rigidly interengaged by a unique locking arrangement. No soldering, welding or other securing means are necessary to rigidly interlock and secure the two pieces together. The hook formed by these two pieces will securely grasp and retain drapes in a vertical position without tearing, piercing, creasing or folding at the upper portions of the drapes. Moreover, the drapes are more securely retained by the engaging members of the 3,.li52ii5 Patented .ian. 21, 1964 hook than are drapes supported by conventional hooks of the prior art.

A still further modification of the present invention contemplates an interlocking assembly of a separable hook element and drape engaging portion, secured together by a third interlocking member, with each of these three members simply formed and adapted to be readily assembled, without the necessity of welding or soldering.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable drapery hook constructed of simple construction adapted to be formed only of wire, and assembled rapidly and automatically with a minimum eX- pense, labor skill and soldering or Welding.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which the invention is illustrated in several embodiments Where FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a drapery hook.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the drapery hook shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of a preferred form of the drapery hook.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the hook shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of another embodiment of my invention.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the drapery hook shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a further modification of a three piece adjustable drapery hook.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the drapery hook shown in FIG], and,

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of a pin-on drapery hook embodying features of the present invention.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is illustrated a drapery hook formed entirely of interlocking lengths of wire.

This Wire should have some resilience and may be formed of chrome plated steel. The hook is formed of two separable parts including a drapery supporting member 10 and a hook element 11. The drapery supporting member 16 has arms 12 extending generally parallel to one another, but if desired with a slightly diverging angle from the lower portion to the upper portion. The upper ends of the arms 12 each terminate in a loop 13 adapted to facilitate the insertion of these arms into adjacent pockets of a pleated drapery. The lower ends of the arms 12 are continuous with one another in a bight section 14-. The arms are pinched together at =15 at the lower ends of the arm closely adjacent to the bight section 14. The distance between the pinch 15 and the lowermost portion of the bight section 14 should be small. The opening 16 should be of sufficient size to permit slideably positioning of a portion of the hook element 11 therein. Immediately above the pinch 15 is a loop 17 formed between the pinch 15 and a contiguous section 18. The contiguous section '13 comprises a section of arms 12 in substantially touching relationship and is formed by pinching the arms 12 together for a short distance. The exact length of the section '18 is not critical. However, the arms 12 should be in adjacency over a length sufi'icient to act as a retaining means for the hook element more fully described hereafter. The arms sharply diverge slightly from one another immediately above the contiguous section 18 in sections indicated at 19. The arms 12 are substantially parallel from the sections 19 to the loops 13.

The drapery supporting member 19 should be formed in such a manner that the arms 12 at the contiguous section 18 are tensioned toward one another to reduce the space between the two arms 12 in this contiguous section to a distance apart less than the diameter of the wire forming the hook element 11, and preferably into touching relationship. The hook element i1 is formed with a leg 29, bight 21 and leg 22 continuous with one another. The leg 29, which may also be termed a shank, is formed with a crimp at its lower portion with the crimp 23 preferably in the same plane as legs 2%, 22, and bight 21.

The plane of the arms 12 in the drapery supporting member in and the plane of the hook element 11 are normal to one anotrer. The hook element 11 and drapery supporting member 19 are interengaged by interlock of the crimp 23 with the pinch 15. The crimp 23 is positioned on one side of the pinch 15 with the lower portion of the leg 26 projecting through the opening 16 and extending downwardly of the supporting member 10 on the other side of the bight section 14 as indicated at 28, FIG. 2. The upper portion 26 of the leg 2% projects through the loop 17 and bears against the contiguous section 18 as indicated at 2 The upper portion as of the leg it) may, if desired, be slightly inclined towards the drapery supporting member 10 and between the arms 12 above the contiguous section 18 to effect a more positive engagement between the upper portion 26 and the contiguous section 13. Preferably, the upper portion 26 bears directly against both legs 12 at the contiguous section 18.

The bight 21 is inclined upwardly from the leg 2%). A crimp 3%? is formed at the upper end of the bight 21 with this crimp 3% having sides 31 and 32. The rear side 32 extends downwardly and is contiguous with the leg 22. Crimp 3-9 is adapted to engage a slider of conventional shape and size. These sliders are supported on traverse rods and are adapted to be moved longitudinally of the rod for the purpose or" carrying the drapes and drapery hooks.

The sides 31 and 32 engage the forward and rear portion of the slider respectively as indicated in my copending application Serial No. 788,699. It has been found that locating the crimp 38 at the rear end of the bight 21 and inclining the bight is substantially advantageous over the construction shown in my copending application. Such an arrangement causes the drapes to hang straighter and permits shading of the sliders without binding of the hooks against the traverse rod.

This embodiment may be assembled by first inserting the lower portion 25 of the leg 29 through the loop 16 so that hook element 11 assumes the position illustrated at in dotted outline. The hook element 11 is then rotated counterclockwise relative to the drapery supporting member 1% to the position of final assembly. Hook element 11 is maintained in locked position to the relative drapery supporting member it; when the upper portion 26 of the shank or leg Zll is passed between the contiguous sections 18. As the hook element 11 is moved between the legs 12 it forces contiguous sections 18 apart. Once the hook element 11 is in the position indicated in solid line in FIG. 2 the contiguous sections 1% spring together again thereby locking the hook element 11 in place.

The simplicity of this assembly eliminates the necessity of welding and expensive machinery and equipment for assembling the hook element and drapery supporting member, as is necessary with other types of constructions. Moreover, it permits assembly by the ultimate consumer, and thereby eliminates expensive manufacturing costs. When a drape is inserted on the arms 12, the drapery pocket is forced between the contiguous section 18 and the upper portion 26 of the leg 20, which further assures a rigid interlock ng arrangement between the member 16 and element 11. Since the leverage distance bet 'een the bight 14 and the pinch 15 is short, a substantial torque on the hook element 11 relative to the drapery supporting member 1% is possible without the crimp passing between the arms at the pinch 15. It has been found that the wire of the hook element 11 will bend before the wire at the pinch 15 of the drapery supporting member 1% will spread.

In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, like numerals refer to the corresponding elements illustrated in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The shanl or leg is longer and is provided with a pair of crimps 23 and ll). The crimp 49 may engage pinch 15 in a manner similar to the interengagement of the crimp 23 and pinch 35. When the crimp 49 is interengaged with the pinch 15, the crimp 23 is positioned between the arms 12 close to their upper end. In this position drapery material supported on the arms 12 will be reversely folded about crimp 23 and will thereby be more rigidly clamped.

When the crimp 23 is interengaged with the pinch l5, drapes will be supported higher than when crimp ll is interengaged with the pinch 15. If desired, more than two crimps may be incorporated into the leg 2% so that more than two positions of adjustment are possible. The crimps should be spaced apart a distance greater than the distance between the pinch l5 and upper end of the contiguous section 18 so as not to interfere with the interlock or" the two members.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in H68. 5 and 6 is similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 where like numerals refer to similar parts. In this arrangement the hook element 5% is formed with a bight 51, rear leg portion 52 and shank 53. This hook element 59 is not provided with a crimp arrangement illustrated at 3% in FIGS. 1-4 although if desired, it could be. The shank 53 is formed with a pair of crimps 23 and 48 similar to those previously described in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4. The lower end of shank 53 is bent into a loop 5 having an opening 55 through which the bi ht portion 14 of the drapery supporting member ll may be inserted. This loop 54 acts as a pivot in assembling the hook element 59 and drapery supporting member all. The loop 54 permits the hook element 59 to be pivoted from a position illustrated in dotted outline at 56 to the position indicated in solid outline (FIG. 6). In the assembled arrangement the crimp ib interengages the pinch 15 while an intermediate portion of the leg 20 indicated at 57 engages the contiguous section 18. The crimp 23 projects between the legs 12 just above the contiguous section 18 thereby forming a positive clamping arrangement for securing drapes therebetween. If desired, the crimp 23 may be interengaged with the pinch 15 in a manner as indicated previously so that the drapes may be supported in a relatively higher position. The rounded loop 54 prevents the lower end of the shank 53 from catching or tearing the drapery material.

In the arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 there is provided an adjustable hook utilizing three interengaging members. These include hook element 69', drapery supporting member 61 and an interlocking member 62. The drapery supporting member 61 is formed with parallel arms 63 terminating at their upper end at loops 64 similar to loop 13 in FIG. 1. The arms 63 are interconnected at their lower end in a bight section 65. The lower ends of the arms 63 immediately adjacent to the bight 65 are inclined toward one another into touching relation forming a pinch 66. An opening 67 is formed between the pinch 66 and bight 65. Immediately above the pinch 66 is a loop 63 formed by an enlargement of the arms 63. The arms 63 between the upper end of the loops 68 and the loops 64 are parallel to one another and are either closely spaced, or in touching relation along their length. As best illustrated in PEG. 8, the drapery supporting member 61 is slightly curved at its lower end from the pinch 66 to the bight 65. This curve angularly displaces the opening 67 from the plane of the major portion of the drapery supporting member 61.

The book element at} is formed with a bight section 70, ear leg 71 and elongated shank 72. The hook element may be formed with a crimp 73 such as is illustrated at St in FIG. 2 or may be formed as the bight section 50 as is illustrated in FIG. 6. In the drawing, the crimp 73 is intermediate the ends of the bight section 70, similar to the arrangement shown in my copending application Serial No. 788,669. The shank 72 is provided with a series of notches 75 spaced at selected distances apart from the lower end of the shank upwardly. The shank 72 projects through opening 67, with the plane of the hook element 60 normal to the plane of the arms 63.

The hook element 60 is rigidly interlocked with the drapery supporting member 61 by the interlocking member 62. This interlocking member 62 is formed of a resilient flat piece of spring steel formed into the configuration illustrated. The interlocking member is elongated in form having a wider lower end 80 and narrower upper end 81. The upper end 81 is formed with a closely fitting hole through which the shank 72 slideably projects. This upper end 81 projects through the loop 68 and tensions the shank 72 towards the arms 63. An intermediate portion 83 of the member 62 continuous with the upper end 81 extends downwardly on the forward side of the loop 67 and is arcuately formed at 84 adjacent the lower end 80. The arcuate portion 84 is formed with an elongated slot extending longitudinally and between substantially the points 85 and 86. The shank 72 projects through this slot. The lower end 80 of the interlocking member 62 is interengaged with the bight section 65. The shank 72 bears against the forward edge of the slot as indicated at 85. Thus the shank 72 is rigidly secured by the interlocking member 62, with the upper end of the interlocking member 62 tensioning the shank in a forward direction against the restraining action of the interengagement of the shank 72 at the pinch 66, and the interengagement of the shank 72 with the inner surface of the bight 65. This hook is adjustable by raising and lowering the hook element 6%? relative to the supporting member 61. The grooves 75 are interengaged with the hole in the upper end 81 of the member 62.

To adjust the hook, the interlocking member 62 is disengaged at its lower end 8% from the bight 65 by pushing forwardly on the lower end. This frees the shank 72 for vertical movement. The shank is then reengaged by returning the interlocking member to its engaging position.

This particular arrangement lends itself to automatic machines for assembly purposes. In this arrangement the hook may be assembled into a locking engagement by laying the section 83 of the interlocking member 62 on a flat surface with the upper and lower ends 81 and 80 projecting upwardly. The drapery supporting member 61 is then laid over this interlocking member with the upper end 81 projecting through the loop 68 and the lower end adjacent the bight 65. The shank 72 is then threaded through the opening in the upper end 81, the loop 67 and the slot in the lower end 89. The shank is then pressed towards the fiat surface and the arms 63 causing the lower end 80 of the interlocking member 62 to snap into engagement with the bight 65, thereby locking the three elements togethe in PEG. 9 there is shown a further modification of the present invention adapted for use with a pin-on hook. In this arrangement, a crimp 30 is formed in a bight 21 in the same manner as that illustrated in the modifications of FIGS. 1 and 2. In this arrangement the forward leg 9i), corresponding with leg 29 of the modification of FIG. 2, is continuous with the bight section 91 and drapery engaging prong 92, which terminates at its upper end in a piercing point 93. This embodiment may be used in a manner similar to conventional pin on hooks with the added advantage of the crimp arrangement illustrated at 30.

I claim:

1. A drapery hook comprising two interlocked members comprising a hook element and drapery supportin D ember, said supporting member formed of a continuous 5 length of wire having arms extending in substantially a vertical direction and interconnected by a bight at their lower ends, said arms pinched together near said bight to form an opening between said arms adjacent said bight and below said pinch, said arms spread apart into a loop immediately above said pinch and positioned in a contiguous section immediately above said loop with the portions of the arms in said contiguous section in closely spaced relation, and said hook element having a shank with a crimp formed intermediate its ends, said shank interlocked with the arms of said supporting member and having said crimp symmetrically positioned with respect to said arms on one side of and adjacent said pinch and with the portions of said shank above and below said crimp projecting respectively through said loop and said opening, and engaging respectively said contiguous section and said bight.

2. An adjustable drapery hook comprising two interlocked members including a hook element and a drapery supporting member, said drapery supporting member formed of a continuous length of wire having a pair of arms extending in substantially a vertical direction and interconnected at a bight at their lower ends, said hook element having a shank projecting at at least one point through said arms, said arms having sections in close adjacency and forming a constriction against which said shank bears and means formed at least in part by said bight of the drapery supporting member for securing said shank in said bearing relation with respect to said constriction.

3. An adjustable drapery hook comprising only two interlocked members including a hook element and drapery supporting member, said drapery supporting member formed or" a continuous length of wire having a pair of arms extending in substantially a vertical direction and interconnected at a bight at their lower ends, with means forming a constriction between said arms intermediate their ends, said hook element having a shank bearing against said constriction, and means on said drapery supporting member positioned in part above and in part below said constriction removably securing said shank in said bearing position.

4. An adjustable drapery hook comprisiry two interlocked members including a hook element and drapery supporting member, said drapery supporting member formed of a continuous length of wire having a pair of arms extending in substantially a vertical direction and interconnected at a bight at their lower ends, said arms having a plurality of openings formed therebetween and defined from one another by a pinched constriction in said arms, said hook element having a shank with a crimp formed therein projecting through adjacent openings with said crimp in engagement with said pinched constriction and means for securing said shank in said engagement.

5. A drapery hook formed of two members adapted to be interengaged and disengaged comprising a drapery supporting member formed of a continuous length of wire having elongated arms extending in substantially a parallel direction and interconnected by a bight at their lower ends, said arms pinched together close to the bight to form said bight with an opening slightly larger than the diameter of said wire, said arms distended just above said constriction to form a loop terminating at its upper end in a contiguous section wherein said arms are spaced apart less than the diameter of said wire, said arms at said contiguous section adapted to be resiliently distended on application of positive pressure, and said hook element having a shank with a crimp formed intermediate its ends, said shank positioned parallel to and substantially equidistant from said arms with said crimp at said constriction and on one side of the plane of said arms and the portions of said shank above and below said constriction projecting through said loop and opening respectively and engaging respectively said contiguous section and said bight.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said shank is formed with a plurality of spaced crimps adapted to be selectively posiitoned in engagement with said constriction.

7. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said shank is formed with a bent over lower end forming a partially enclosed loop partially encircling said bight.

8. An adjustable drapery hook formed of two members adapted to be releasably interlocked in selected positions comprising a uniplanar hook elem nt of wire having a shank with a plurality of spaced crimps, a drapery supporting member formed of a continuous length of wire having elongated arms extending in a substantially parallel direction and interconnected at a bight at their lower ends, said arms extending substantially parallel to said shank and on either side of the plane of said hook element, said arms having a plurality of constrictions, with one of said crimps positioned on one side of one constriction and the adjacent portion of said shank on the other side of an adjacent constriction, with said shank also engaging said bight at its lower end.

9. An adjustable drapery hook formed of two interlocking wire members includin a drapery supporting members having two substantially parallel arms interconnected at their lower ends at a bight, said arms constricted together at two points adjacent the bight to form two openings between the arms, a hook element having a shank with a plurality of spaced crirnps interlinked with said drapery supporting member with one of said crimps bearing against said arms at the lower of said points, said shank immediately above said point projecting through the upper of said openings and bearing against said upper point and said shank below said crimp projecting through said other opening and bearing against said bight.

10. A device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said shank terminates at its lower end in a loop partially encircling said bight.

11. A device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said hook element has a bight section upwardly inclined from said shank with a crimp adapted to engage the walls of a slider formed in said bight section at the upper most end thereof.

12. In a drapery hook construction the combination of a drapery supporting member having a pair of parallel arms with a constriction formed therebetween intermediate the ends of the arms, and a separable hook element having a shank with a crimp formed in said shank with said crimp engaging said constriction to secure said hook element and arms together, with upper and lower portions of said shank directly engaging said supporting member above and below said crimp.

13. In a drapery hook construction a drapery supporting member comprising,

a pair of substantially coplanar arms interconnected by a bight with each arm having a free end, said bight forming a tensioning means urging said arms towards one another, a

said arms being pinched together at a portion intermediate said bight and said free ends and having an opening between said bight and said pinched together portion and a second opening adjacent said pinched together portion and spaced from said free ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 763,780 Nachmann June 28, 1904 2,460,089 Johnson Ian. 25, 1949 2,553,272 Perlmutter May 15, 1951 2,592,478 Sherman Apr. 8, 1952 2,607,977 Sherrell Aug. 26, 1952 2,685,113 Roeckel Aug. 3, 1954 2,708,479 Nichols day 17, 1955 2,963,085 Schoos Dec. 6, 1960 

3. AN ADJUSTABLE DRAPERY HOOK COMPRISING ONLY TWO INTERLOCKED MEMBERS INCLUDING A HOOK ELEMENT AND DRAPERY SUPPORTING MEMBER, SAID DRAPERY SUPPORTING MEMBER FORMED OF A CONTINUOUS LENGTH OF WIRE HAVING A PAIR OF ARMS EXTENDING IN SUBSTANTIALLY A VERTICAL DIRECTION AND INTERCONNECTED AT A BIGHT AT THEIR LOWER ENDS, WITH MEANS FORMING A CONSTRICTION BETWEEN SAID ARMS INTERMEDIATE THEIR ENDS, SAID HOOK ELEMENT HAVING A SHANK BEARING AGAINST SAID CONSTRICTION, AND MEANS ON SAID DRAPERY SUPPORTING MEMBER POSITIONED IN PART ABOVE AND IN PART BELOW SAID CONSTRICTION REMOVABLY SECURING SAID SHANK IN SAID BEARING POSITION. 